My Husband Got Blepharoplasty: His Upper and Lower Eyelid Surgery Experience

I flew to Los Angeles for a deep plane facelift, and somehow my husband came home looking younger too. The strange part is that Michael wasn't planning to have cosmetic surgery at all; he came purely to support me through my facelift, neck lift, lip lift, and lower blepharoplasty, but somewhere between sitting through my consultations, meeting my surgeon, and watching me obsessively scroll through before-and-after photos, he started wondering whether there was something he might want to change too.

Apparently, cosmetic surgery is contagious in our marriage. Michael had always had hooded upper eyelids and noticeable bags underneath his eyes, but they had never bothered him enough to seriously consider surgery. Once he learned more about blepharoplasty, however, he became curious about what could realistically be changed, and before I knew it, the man who had flown to LA as my caregiver was scheduling his own lower blepharoplasty.

Then he went back for the uppers. This is the story of how my husband unexpectedly ended up having both lower and upper blepharoplasty, what his recovery actually looked like compared with mine, and how a trip that was supposed to be about my facelift somehow turned into a his-and-hers cosmetic surgery vacation.

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Prefer to watch? In this video, I share how my husband unexpectedly ended up getting upper and lower blepharoplasty while I was recovering from my facelift in Los Angeles, including his surprisingly easy recovery, his before-and-after transformation, and one very entertaining trip out of anesthesia.

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Why My Husband Decided to Get Blepharoplasty

Honestly, it barely took any convincing at all. I was already booked for my own procedures—a deep plane facelift, neck lift, lip lift, and lower blepharoplasty, and Michael came to Los Angeles purely to support me. After sitting through some of my consultations and meeting my surgeon, however, he started becoming genuinely curious about cosmetic surgery for himself.

I'll admit I hadn't exactly been subtle about it. Most nights I'd be lying in bed showing him before-and-after photos and saying things like, “Look at this guy. You have the exact same eye bags.” At some point, my TikTok algorithm essentially became Michael's unofficial cosmetic surgery consultation, so the poor man probably never stood a chance.

He'd always had somewhat hooded upper eyelids and noticeable bags beneath his eyes, but he wasn't someone who regularly complained about getting older or talked about wanting cosmetic surgery. I think part of his hesitation was also that men don't necessarily talk about plastic surgery as openly as women do, even as cosmetic procedures for men become increasingly normalized.

Eventually, the subject came up naturally during one of my consultations.

After learning more about what blepharoplasty involved and discussing his own eyes with the surgeon, Michael looked at me and delivered what might be my favorite philosophy on cosmetic surgery: “Well, it's just a meat suit. Life's short. Why not?” That was apparently all the soul-searching required.

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What Is Blepharoplasty?

A blepharoplasty, commonly called eyelid surgery or an eyelid lift, is a surgical procedure that can address excess skin and/or fat around the upper or lower eyelids. Exactly what is done depends on the person's anatomy, goals, and surgical plan, which is why two people having “blepharoplasty” can actually undergo quite different procedures.

An upper blepharoplasty typically focuses on excess skin and tissue around the upper eyelids, while a lower blepharoplasty can address concerns such as under-eye bags, excess skin, or fat around the lower eyelids.

Michael ultimately had both, although not at the same time. His first concern was the bags underneath his eyes, so he decided to start with a lower blepharoplasty combined with CO2 laser treatment underneath the eyes. The upper eyelids came later, after he saw what a difference addressing the lower area made.

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My Facelift Recovery Somehow Didn't Scare Him Away

There's another reason I couldn't believe Michael voluntarily signed himself up for surgery: he had just watched my recovery. My surgery came first, and while I knew a deep plane facelift wasn't going to be a glamorous experience, I wasn't prepared for how intense those first hours would be. I woke up extremely swollen, couldn't open my eyes properly, had difficulty speaking, and couldn't open my mouth enough to eat or drink normally. Instead of returning to our Airbnb as we'd planned, I stayed overnight at the surgery center with additional monitoring and a private nurse.

It was not exactly the advertisement for cosmetic surgery you'd show someone you're trying to convince. So picture me lying there immediately after surgery, barely able to communicate beyond thumbs up and thumbs down, while my husband looks around at everything happening to me and somehow thinks:

Yes. I'd like some of this too. I couldn't believe it.

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My Husband's Lower Blepharoplasty Experience

A day later, Michael had his own consultation, and within a few days, it was his turn in the operating room. He wasn't interested in jumping into anything as extensive as what I'd had done, so he started relatively small with a lower blepharoplasty and CO2 laser treatment underneath his eyes. The goal was primarily to address the under-eye bags that had been there for years and give the area a less tired appearance.

His surgery went smoothly. His recovery, particularly compared with mine, was almost annoyingly easy.

I had undergone several facial procedures simultaneously, so obviously this wasn't an apples-to-apples comparison, but watching the difference between us was fascinating. I was still swollen, uncomfortable, and deep in the emotional roller coaster of early facelift recovery while Michael seemed to bounce back remarkably quickly from his eyelid surgery. Coming out of anesthesia, however, was another story entirely.

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What Happened When He Woke Up From Anesthesia

I want to be clear that people can respond very differently to anesthesia and medications used around surgery, so I'm not presenting Michael's reaction as what you should expect after blepharoplasty.

This was simply Michael being Michael. He woke up in an extraordinarily good mood. There was dancing. There was singing. There were jokes that made absolutely no sense. There was unsolicited life advice being distributed to anyone unfortunate enough to walk through the recovery room.

At one point, we were unmistakably having a dance party while I sat there thinking that my own post-surgery experience had been considerably less fun. Then a Kanye song came on, and Michael appeared to experience a full philosophical awakening in real time.

He started talking about “love and energy,” describing the experience of transcending his physical body, and somehow worked his way into an elaborate discussion of Carl Jung and rhizomes—the idea of the visible flower being temporary while the underlying root system persists—which he then connected to family history, ancestry, and the evolution of the human species.

The recovery staff were thoroughly entertained. Eventually, philosophy gave way to a much more urgent human need. Food for his hungry belly. Specifically, a salad. My husband doesn't crave pizza, burger or fries, he craved a salad. So my freshly operated-on self ended up waddling around Los Angeles searching for a salad because my husband, still very much enjoying the effects of his surgical medications, had decided this was the only acceptable meal.

When he finally got it, you'd have thought I'd handed him dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant. There was an entire analysis of the salad's “flavor profile” and “mouth feel” before he gradually returned to planet Earth. It remains one of the funniest memories from the entire trip.

Then He Decided to Get an Upper Blepharoplasty

I assumed that would be the end of Michael's cosmetic surgery experiment. It was not.

Less than a week later, he voluntarily booked a second eyelid surgery. Once the lower area had been addressed, the excess skin around his upper eyelids suddenly became more noticeable to him, and he decided that if he was already in Los Angeles, already seeing the surgeon, and already recovering, he might as well finish the job.

So Michael went back for an upper blepharoplasty. Once again, his recovery was considerably easier than mine.

Within days, his stitches were out, and he was walking around Santa Monica, grabbing coffee and strolling along the beach while I was still deep in my own facelift recovery wondering when I was going to look remotely human again.

It was the saame surgeon, same trip, but very different procedures and very different recoveries. It was a perfect reminder that cosmetic surgery recovery is highly individual and depends heavily on what procedure, or combination of procedures you actually have done.

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Male Blepharoplasty Before and After: What Changed?

The physical change in Michael's eyes was noticeable, but what surprised me more was the change in how he seemed to feel about them. He had never been particularly insecure about his appearance, so I assumed this would be a relatively minor cosmetic tweak and we'd move on. Instead, I started noticing how much he enjoyed seeing the difference when he looked in the mirror.

His eyes looked more open and less tired, but importantly, he still looked like Michael. That became one of my favorite things about his result. The goal wasn't to make him look 20 years younger or turn him into a completely different person. For him, male blepharoplasty was really about looking more rested and refreshed while still looking like himself.

Upper vs. Lower Blepharoplasty: His Experience

Having watched Michael go through both procedures within such a short period gave me an interesting firsthand look at the difference between upper and lower blepharoplasty recovery. His lower blepharoplasty was focused on the under-eye area and was combined with CO2 laser treatment, while the upper procedure addressed the hooded skin above his eyes. Because procedures and surgical techniques vary, I wouldn't use his recovery as a prediction of how quickly someone else will heal.

What I can say is that his experience was significantly easier than my multi-procedure facelift recovery, which makes sense considering the enormous difference in the scope of what we'd each had done. That contrast also made me understand why someone who isn't ready for a facelift might still be interested in eyelid surgery. The eyes can have an outsized effect on whether someone appears tired or refreshed, even when the rest of the face hasn't been surgically altered.

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Does Blepharoplasty Make You Look Younger?

In Michael's case, yes, I think it made him look younger, although “younger” isn't actually the word I'd use to describe the biggest difference.

He looked less tired. Before surgery, the under-eye bags and hooding around his upper eyelids created shadows and heaviness around his eyes. Afterward, his eyes appeared more open and refreshed, which changed the overall impression of his face without making him look dramatically different. That distinction matters to me because cosmetic surgery doesn't necessarily have to be about chasing youth.

Sometimes someone simply wants the person they see in the mirror to look closer to how they feel. For Michael, that was the result.

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What to Research Before Getting Blepharoplasty

Watching both of us go through eye surgery reinforced something I've learned repeatedly through my own cosmetic surgery experiences: choosing the surgeon matters far more than choosing the procedure based on a social media before-and-after.

Blepharoplasty is still surgery, even when the incisions are relatively small and someone's recovery appears easy. Before undergoing upper or lower eyelid surgery, I'd want to know how frequently the surgeon performs that specific procedure, see plenty of before-and-after photographs on patients with similar anatomy, understand exactly what technique is being recommended and why, and have a clear plan for complications and follow-up care.

I'd also ask what realistic recovery looks like rather than basing expectations on Michael strolling around Santa Monica days later. His recovery was his recovery. Yours may look completely different.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Male Blepharoplasty

What is male blepharoplasty?

Male blepharoplasty is eyelid surgery performed on a male patient to address concerns such as excess upper-eyelid skin, hooded eyelids, under-eye bags, or other age-related changes around the eyes. The surgical plan should be individualized to the person's anatomy and desired result.

What is the difference between upper and lower blepharoplasty?

Upper blepharoplasty generally addresses excess skin and/or tissue around the upper eyelids, while lower blepharoplasty addresses concerns beneath the eyes, such as under-eye bags, skin, or fat. Some patients have one procedure, while others have both.

Can men get upper and lower blepharoplasty together?

Depending on the patient's anatomy, health, goals, and surgeon's recommendations, upper and lower blepharoplasty may sometimes be performed during the same surgical session. Michael happened to have his as separate procedures.

How long is male blepharoplasty recovery?

Recovery varies depending on the specific procedure, surgical technique, individual healing, and whether other treatments are performed at the same time. Michael recovered relatively quickly, but his experience shouldn't be treated as a standard timeline for everyone.

Does blepharoplasty get rid of eye bags?

Lower blepharoplasty can be used to address certain types of under-eye bags, but the appropriate treatment depends on what's actually causing the appearance beneath the eyes. A qualified surgeon can determine whether surgery or another approach is appropriate.

Does blepharoplasty make men look younger?

It can create a more rested or refreshed appearance by changing excess skin or bags around the eyes. In Michael's case, I think the biggest difference was that he looked less tired rather than dramatically different or artificially younger.

Was my husband's blepharoplasty worth it?

For him, yes. He liked the improvement enough after his lower eyelid surgery that he voluntarily returned for an upper blepharoplasty, and he's continued to be happy with how natural the overall result looks.

The Takeaway From Our Accidental Couples' Cosmetic Surgery Trip

Looking back, this became one of my favorite memories from the entire trip. I flew to Los Angeles expecting to be the only person recovering from cosmetic surgery, and somehow I came home with a husband who had undergone both lower and upper blepharoplasty, discovered an unexpected appreciation for his refreshed appearance, and delivered the single most entertaining post-anesthesia performance I've ever personally witnessed.

Meanwhile, I was still swollen and working my way through a much longer facelift recovery.

It wasn't exactly how I'd imagined our California trip unfolding, but watching Michael's experience gave me another perspective on cosmetic surgery that I hadn't really considered before. He didn't have surgery because he hated aging, wanted to become someone else, or felt enormous pressure to look younger. He saw something that had bothered him mildly for years, learned that there was an option to change it, and decided life's short enough that he might as well do something he wanted to do.

Or, as Michael would put it: It's just a meat suit.

Apparently, sometimes the meat suit needs a little maintenance.

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This article documents my husband's personal experience with cosmetic surgery and isn't medical advice. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure with potential risks and complications, and recovery and results vary considerably between individuals. Anyone considering eyelid surgery should consult an appropriately qualified surgeon about their individual anatomy, health, risks, expected results, and recovery.

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